“Inhabit” is a documentary film project that aims to expand the reach and relatability of permaculture. Permaculture is a design science based on the observation and replication of patterns and relationships found in nature; it is an approach to designing sustainable systems of agriculture, community, economics, politics, and more.

We will travel in a solar and veggie-oil-powered bus documenting the people and projects currently giving voice to permaculture in the Northeast. We will look at permaculture practices in rural, suburban, and urban environments to break away from the conception of it being purely agricultural, and we will explore the breadth of its application to current local and global challenges - from issues of food, water, and medicine, to governance, economy, and culture.

Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective

Inhabit is a feature length documentary introducing permaculture: a design method that offers an ecological lens for solving issues related to agriculture, economics, governance, and on. The film presents a vast array of projects, concepts, and people, and it translates the diversity of permaculture into something that can be understood by an equally diverse audience. For those familiar, it will be a call to action and a glimpse into what's possible - what kind of projects and solutions are already underway. For those unfamiliar, it will be an introduction to a new way of being and a new way of relating to the Earth. For everyone, it will be a reminder that humans are capable of being planetary healing forces.

Focused mostly on the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States, Inhabit provides an intimate look at permaculture peoples and practices. During the Spring, Summer, and Fall of 2013, film makers Costa Boutsikaris and Emmett Brennan documented over 20 sites in a range of rural, suburban, and urban environments. They explored a breadth of response to local and global challenges from issues of food, water, and medicine, to governance, economy, and culture.

In 2012, after finishing a Permaculture Design Course in NYC and graduating from film school, Costa raised funds on KickStarter to convert a diesel van to run on Waste Vegetable Oil. The money was also used to buy an 80 Watt solar panel to create a renewable energy film vehicle that could allow for mobile editing and camera charging.

The following spring Emmett joined on and the two set off on a 4 month journey, visiting around 22 permaculture sites. The map above illustrates most of the journey. Filming wrapped in the Autumn of 2013 and by April of 2014 Costa and Emmett launched a new Kickstarter campaign to raise money for editing/post production. After 8 days they surpassed their goal of $18,000 and eventually raised over $35,000 total.